South Korea, China extend currency deal despite missile row

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea says that Seoul and Beijing have agreed to extend their currency swap deal, easing concerns the deal would fall through due to tensions over a U.S. missile defense system.

South Korea's central bank and its finance ministry said Friday in a joint statement that the two Asian countries renewed the deal worth 64 trillion won ($57 billion) for another three years.

The move keeps their already soured relationship from further deteriorating. South Korean companies' businesses have suffered in China amid friction over South Korea's deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system known as THAAD.

Currency swap deals allow countries to borrow money from other countries with in their own currency.